U.S. patent number 7,527,336 [Application Number 10/549,554] was granted by the patent office on 2009-05-05 for recliner mechanism.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Johnson Controls Technology Company. Invention is credited to Ingo Kienke, Hans-Rudi Schulz.
United States Patent |
7,527,336 |
Kienke , et al. |
May 5, 2009 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Recliner mechanism
Abstract
A device for blocking and adjusting the inclination of fittings,
such as a recliner mechanism, a vehicle seat, has a first fitting
part which has a latch tooth, and a latching element (2) which has
a mating latch tooth, the latch tooth and the mating latch tooth
are brought into engagement and arrested in the engagement position
by means of a clamping element under the force of a spring, acts on
the latching element and is movable counter to the force of the
spring via adjusting means. The clamping element has a toothing in
which is engaged by a mating toothing situated on a toothed
element, the force of the spring acts on the toothed element and
acts indirectly on the clamping element via the toothing and mating
toothing.
Inventors: |
Kienke; Ingo (Wermelskirchen,
DE), Schulz; Hans-Rudi (Remscheid, DE) |
Assignee: |
Johnson Controls Technology
Company (Holland, MI)
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Family
ID: |
32945979 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/549,554 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2004 |
PCT
Filed: |
March 04, 2004 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/EP2004/002160 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
September 19, 2005 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2004/082983 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
September 30, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20060181131 A1 |
Aug 17, 2006 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 19, 2003 [DE] |
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103 12 140 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/374;
297/378.12; 297/378.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N
2/2352 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60N
2/02 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;297/378.1,378.11,374,378.12 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Search Report by European Patent Office for International
Application No. PCT/EP2004/002160; mailing date Jul. 6, 2004; 2
pages. cited by other.
|
Primary Examiner: Barfield; Anthony D
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Foley & Lardner LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A recliner mechanism comprising: a first fitting part including
a first tooth; a latching element including a second tooth that is
engageable with the first tooth; a clamping element engageable with
the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth;
and a toothed element including a fourth tooth and a spring, the
fourth tooth being engageable with the third tooth, the spring
being encircled by and at least partially received within the
toothed element, wherein the spring is configured to act on the
toothed element and indirectly on the clamping element via the
third tooth and the fourth tooth to hold the latching element in
engagement with the first fitting part.
2. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the first fitting
part, the latching element, the clamping element and the toothed
element are pivotable relative to each other about respective pivot
axes, the respective pivot axes being arranged parallel to one
another.
3. The recliner mechanism of claim 2 wherein the first fitting
part, the latching element, the clamping element and the toothed
element each have a fastening opening arranged concentrically about
the respective pivot axes.
4. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the toothed element
comprises an outer ring and an inner ring, the spring being
arranged concentrically with and between the outer ring and the
inner ring.
5. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the clamping element
includes a first fastening opening and the toothed element includes
a second fastening opening, the first fastening opening and the
second fastening opening each being configured to receive a
transmission rod to accommodate different seating arrangements.
6. The recliner mechanism of claim 5 wherein a respective fine
tooth is provided around an inner periphery of the first fastening
opening and the second fastening opening.
7. The recliner mechanism of claim 5 further comprising a molded
part configured to be inserted into the first fastening opening,
the mold part having a profiled inner contour configured to receive
a transmission rod.
8. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a second
filling part, wherein the latching element, the clamping element
and the toothed element are fastened to the second fitting
part.
9. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the spring comprises a
torsion spring.
10. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the spring comprises
a leg spring.
11. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the spring comprises
a flat spiral spring.
12. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the clamping element
further includes a control contour for interacting with a
corresponding control contour of the latching element.
13. The recliner mechanism of claim 1 wherein the tooth of the
clamping element and the mating tooth of the toothed element are
each an external tooth segment.
14. A recliner mechanism comprising: a first fitting part including
a first tooth; a latching element including a second tooth that is
engageable with the first tooth; a clamping element engageable with
the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth
and a first fastening opening; a toothed element including a fourth
tooth and a second fastening opening, the fourth tooth being
engageable with the third tooth, and a spring configured to act on
the toothed element to hold the latching element in engagement with
the first fitting part, wherein the first fastening opening and the
second fastening opening are each configured to receive a
transmission rod to accommodate different seating arrangements.
15. The recliner mechanism of claim 14 wherein the spring is
encircled by the toothed element.
16. The recliner mechanism of claim 15 wherein the spring is
configured to act directly on the toothed element and indirectly on
the clamping element via the third tooth and the fourth tooth to
hold the latching element in engagement with the first fitting
part.
17. The recliner mechanism of claim 14 wherein the toothed element
comprises an outer ring and an inner ring, the spring being
arranged concentrically with and between the outer ring and the
inner ring.
18. The recliner mechanism of claim 14 wherein the first fitting
part, the latching element, the clamping element and the toothed
element are coupled to a second fitting part and pivotable relative
to each other about respective pivot axes, the respective pivot
axes being arranged parallel to one another.
19. A recliner mechanism comprising: a first fitting part including
a first tooth; a latching element including a second tooth that is
engageable with the first tooth; a clamping element engageable with
the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth
and a first fastening opening; a toothed element including a fourth
tooth and a second fastening opening, the fourth tooth being
engageable with the third tooth, and a spring configured to act on
the toothed element to hold the latching element in engagement with
the first fitting part, wherein the first fastening opening and the
second fastening opening are each configured to receive a
transmission rod to accommodate different seating arrangements, and
wherein a respective fine tooth is provided around an inner
periphery of the first fastening opening and the second fastening
opening.
20. A recliner mechanism comprising: a first fitting part including
a first tooth; a latching element including a second tooth that is
engageable with the first tooth; a clamping element engageable with
the latching element, the clamping element including a third tooth
and a first fastening opening; a toothed element including a fourth
tooth and a second fastening opening, the fourth tooth being
engageable with the third tooth; a spring configured to act on the
toothed element to hold the latching element in engagement with the
first fitting part; and a molded part configured to be inserted
into the first fastening opening, the mold part having a profiled
inner contour configured to receive a transmission rod, wherein the
first fastening opening and the second fastening opening are each
configured to receive the transmission rod to accommodate different
seating arrangements.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims benefit to International Application No.
PCT/EP2004/002160 filed on Mar. 4, 2004, and German application no.
DE10312140.4, filed Mar. 19, 2003, all of which are incorporated
herein by these references.
BACKGROUND
The invention relates generally to a device for blocking and
adjusting the inclination of fittings, in particular for adjusting
the inclination with respect to each of the two components situated
on a vehicle seat, such as a seat part and a backrest part.
PRIOR ART
Known devices are disclosed in the documents DE 198 45 698 A1, DE
195 22 854 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,608. In the case of the
device for blocking adjustment fittings or a recliner mechanism on
vehicle seats according to DE 198 45 698 A1, which adjustment
fittings have a latching region which has a toothing, and a
latching element which has a mating toothing, the toothing and the
mating toothing can be brought into and out of engagement and can
be arrested in the engagement position. The subject matter of the
DE 198 45 698 application relates to a special tooth design,
according to which, in the engagement position, the tips of the
teeth at their apex maintain a distance from the corresponding
tooth roots of the respectively opposite elements and the
corresponding teeth bear against one another by means of the tooth
flanks. The tooth flanks are connected to the apex via a curved
transition region beginning at the tip end. The connection region,
which is situated at the end of the tooth flanks, between tooth
flanks and transition region is arranged displaced in the direction
of the tooth root of the opposite element by means of a reduction
of the transition radius. This design is intended to provide
greater safety in the event of a higher force input.
The fitting of recliner mechanism for adjusting the inclination of
backrests of motor vehicle seats that is disclosed in DE 195 22 854
A1 has a first articulated part and a second articulated part, one
of which is connected fixedly to the seat and the other of which is
connected fixedly to the backrest. In this case, the second
articulated part is coupled pivotably to the first articulated part
and has a latch teeth which can be fixed in different pivoting
positions by means of a locking lever formed for engagement
therewith. The locking lever has a mating teeth corresponding to
the latch teeth of the second articulated part. The two toothings
can be blocked in engagement divisions by means of a blocking
lever. The blocking lever is mounted pivotably on the first
articulated part, and locking lever and blocking lever have
mutually complementary control surfaces. The blocking lever in turn
bears an arresting lever, which is mounted pivotably, can be
displaced via an adjusting means and has a projection which, in a
first pivoting position of the arresting lever and in the blocking
position of the blocking lever, bears against a stop surface of the
first articulated part. In a second pivoting position, the
projection is situated away from the stop surface of the first
articulated part and therefore permits blocking lever and locking
lever to pivot so as to be free. Here, too, this design is intended
to provide greater safety in the event of a crash, in particular a
satisfactory blocking of the pivoting position which has been
set.
The device according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,608 also has a similar
construction to the abovementioned fittings or recliner mechanisms.
In all of the known devices, the clamping element, which is also
referred or could also be referred to as a clamping cam, unit of
blocking lever and arresting lever, "operation lever" or clamping
eccentric, is driven via a tension spring which is fastened to this
component and under the action of which the clamping element is
moved into or secured in a position which produces or secures the
engagement position of the latching element.
As adjusting means in order to move the clamping element counter to
the force of the spring in such a manner that the latching element
comes out of engagement, Bowden cables are mentioned and
illustrated in DE 195 22 854 A1 and in DE 198 45 698, and a
handling device designed integrally with the clamping element is
mentioned and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,608. GB 2 059 496
A describes a device for blocking and adjusting the inclination of
fittings, but which is not constructed according to the type
described above for which a transmission rod is used as adjusting
means. The transmission rod engages at both of its ends in fittings
which are fitted on both sides of a seat.
The known use of tension springs for arresting and producing the
engagement position has an unfavorable effect on the designing of
the construction space, the "package", due to the required length
of the springs and may also cause noises during the actuation due
to the friction occurring in their attachment means during
rotation. Since the spring is pivoted during the actuation, the
spring may also, because of the changing angular position of the
spring, have a force/travel characteristic in which the adjusting
force, with increasing distance of the latching element from the
fitting part with the latching toothing in an end region, no
longer--as desired--rises, but rather drops again after a dead
center position is exceeded. During a manual adjustment, this may
undesirably influence the operator's sensation of control during
actuation.
It would be an improvement to have a recliner device for blocking
and adjusting the inclination of the type described above using
structurally simple means such that a more favorable design of the
construction space can be obtained, production of noise can be
damped and an improved sensation of control during actuation can be
produced for the operator.
SUMMARY
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a recliner
mechanism including a device for blocking and adjusting the
inclination in which a clamping element has a toothing in which a
mating toothing engages and is situated on a toothed element and
force of a spring acts on the toothed element and acts indirectly
on the clamping element via the toothing and mating toothing.
In a preferred embodiment the spring can form a constructional unit
with the toothed element, which includes a toothed element which is
designed in the manner of a toothed wheel and is driven by a leg
spring or spiral spring, and most preferrably in flat spiral
spring, which is favorable in terms of construction space. The flat
spiral or torsion spring of this type does not change its angular
position when they become effective, and can advantageously also be
dimensioned in such a manner that it has a desired, for example, a
linearly or progressively rising, force/travel characteristic.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in
the description below. The invention is explained in more detail
with reference to two exemplary embodiments illustrated in the
attached drawing which are not intended to be limiting in any
way.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows, in a cut open, perspective illustration, a device
according to the invention for blocking and adjusting the
inclination, according to one embodiment,
FIG. 2 shows, in an enlarged illustration in comparison to FIG. 1,
a clamping element and a constructional unit of a toothed element
and a spring of a device according to the invention for blocking
and adjusting the inclination, according to one embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 3 shows, in an enlarged illustration in comparison to FIG. 1,
a clamping element and a constructional unit of a toothed element
and a spring of a device according to the invention for blocking
and adjusting the inclination, according to an alternate embodiment
of the invention.
FIG. 4 shows, in a perspective illustration, a molded part which
can be used in an advantageous development of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the various figures of the drawing, identical parts are always
also provided with the same reference numbers, with the result that
they are generally also only described once in each case.
A device according to the invention for blocking and adjusting the
inclination of fittings can be used in particular for adjusting the
inclination with respect to each other of two components situated
on a vehicle seat, such as a seat part and a backrest part as is
commonly known as a recliner mechanism.
As FIG. 1 best shows, a device of this type for blocking and
adjusting the inclination comprises a first fitting part 1 which
has a latch tooth la, and a latch element 2 which has a mating
latching toothing 2a and is designed in the manner of a pivotable
pawl. The latch tooth 1a and the mating latch tooth 2a can be moved
into engagement--and, if appropriate, as for the case illustrated
in which this does not take place under the action of gravity, also
out of engagement--and can be arrested in the engagement position
by means of a clamping element 3 which acts on the latch element 2
and can be moved via adjusting means.
The clamping element 3 has, for moving the latch element 2, a
control contour 3a which is used for interacting with a
corresponding control contour 2b of the latching element 2.
In order to securely hold the latch element 2 in its engagement
position in the latch tooth 1a of the first fitting part 1, i.e. in
the self-locking pivoting position illustrated in FIG. 1, even in
the event of dynamic loads, the clamping element 3 is
spring-loaded. For this purpose, the clamping element 3 has a
toothing or sector 3b which enlarges a mating toothing or sector 4a
situated on a toothed element 4. In a manner favorable in terms of
installation and construction space, the toothed element 4 forms
with a spring 5 a constructional unit E which can be arranged into
an otherwise free construction space in the fitting part. The force
of the spring 5 thereby acts indirectly on the clamping element 3
via the mating toothing 4a and toothing 3b. In a preferred
embodiment, the spring 5 is designed as a torsion spring (i.e., as
a leg spring), as FIG. 2 best shows.
The toothing 3b of the clamping element 3 and the mating toothing
4a of the toothed element 4 are preferably designed as external
toothings designed at least in the manner of segments, as
illustrated in all of the figures. The first fitting part 1, the
latch element 2, the clamping element 3 and the toothed element 4
can be pivoted relative to one another about respective pivot axes
X1, X2, X3, X4. In this case, if a bevel gear toothing is not used,
the pivot axes X1, X2, X3, X4 are in particular arranged parallel
to one another. The first fitting part 1, the latching element 2,
the clamping element 3 and the toothed element 4 here have
fastening openings O1, O2, O3, O4 which are arranged concentrically
about their respective pivot axes X1, X2, X3, X4 and are partially
filled, in particular in the case of the first fitting part 1 and
the latch element 2, by corresponding fastening elements (not
referred to specifically).
The latch element 2, the clamping element 3 and the toothed element
4 are fastened to a second fitting part 6, the angular position of
which, i.e. the inclination, relative to the first fitting part 1
can be changed and fixed with the aid of the recliner device
according to the invention for blocking and adjusting the
inclination. The first fitting part 1 can be fastened, for example,
to a first component of a vehicle seat, such as a seat part, and
the second fitting part 6 can be fastened to a second component of
a vehicle seat, such as a backrest part, or vice versa.
As far as the construction of the second fitting part 6 is
concerned, it should be noted that FIG. 1 involves a cut open
illustration of a device according to the invention. This means
that the second fitting part including a first wall 6a depicted and
of a second wall (not illustrated) which covers the remaining
components 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and is essentially identical in design
and is connected fixedly to the first wall. The components 1, 2, 3,
4, 5 are held in or between these walls via the fastening elements
which have already been mentioned, engage in the fastening openings
O1, O2, O3, O4 and are not referred to specifically in the figures.
The adjusting means (likewise not illustrated) for moving the
clamping element 3 may preferably be at least one transmission rod
which acts on the clamping element 3 and/or on the toothed element
4 and in particular engages axially in the respective fastening
opening O3, O4 thereof.
The operation of the device according to the invention for blocking
and adjusting the inclination is as follows.
In the illustration shown in FIG. 1, there is a certain inclination
with respect to each other of two components situated on a vehicle
seat, such as a seat part and a backrest part. This inclination is
expressed in the angular position of the first fitting part 1 with
respect to the second fitting part 6. By means of the engagement of
the latch tooth 1a of the first fitting part 1 in the mating latch
tooth 2a of the latching element 2, this angular position is fixed
and is secured by means of the clamping element 3 which is under
the force of the spring 5. In order to bring the latch tooth la of
the first fitting part 1 and the mating latch tooth 2a of the
latching element 2 out of engagement, the toothed element 4 is
moved counter to the force of the spring 5 with the aid of the
adjusting means, to be precise is rotated in the direction of the
arrow R4 shown in FIG. 1. The engagement of the mating toothing 4a
of the toothed element 4 in the toothing 3b of the clamping element
3 means that, in consequence, the clamping element 3 is rotated or
pivoted in the direction of the arrow R3. Owing to the interaction
of the, in particular lug-like, control contour 3a of the clamping
element 3 with the corresponding control contour 2b of the latching
element 2, which contour is designed in particular as an engagement
opening, the latching element 2 is pivoted and, as a result, the
engagement of the mating latch tooth 2a of the latching element 2
in the latch tooth 1 a of the first fitting part 1 is canceled. The
inclination of the first fitting part 1 relative to the second
fitting part 6 can then be adjusted by pivoting about the axis X1.
The adjusting force acting counter to the force of the spring 5 is
then canceled, and the latching element 2 returns under the action
of the spring 5 into its engagement division by dynamics proceeding
inversely to the movements illustrated.
FIG. 2, shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 1, reveals that the
toothed element 4 can advantageously be composed of an outer ring
4b and an inner ring 4c which are braced against each other by the
spring 5. In this case, the spring 5 is arranged concentrically to
the outer ring 4b and the inner ring 4c about the axis X4 and
between the outer ring 4b and the inner ring 4c in a manner
favorable in terms of construction space.
FIG. 3 shows a further advantageous design of the spring 5 in the
constructional unit E formed from toothed element 4 and spring 5.
The spring 5 here is designed as a spiral spring, in particular as
a flat spiral spring, and is likewise arranged concentrically about
the axis X4 in the fastening opening O4 of the toothed element 4 in
an extremely favorable manner in terms of construction space, i.e.
in a space-saving manner. In this case, like the spring 5 in the
first embodiment, it is encircled by an outer ring 4b which bears
the mating toothing 4a on its outer circumference.
Although the design according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is more costly to
manufacture in comparison with the embodiment according to FIG. 3,
it has the advantage, as a function of the seat geometry, that the
transmission rod which can be fitted in the fastening opening O4 is
arranged to the rear and therefore outside the comfort region of
the seat. If the seat geometry permits this, then for cost reasons
the embodiment according to FIG. 3 is preferably used.
The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments
illustrated but rather also comprises all embodiments acting in an
identical manner within the meaning of the invention. Thus, in
particular, shaping, dimensioning and position of the
constructional unit E and of its components toothed element 4 and
spring 5 may differ from the embodiments illustrated. As an
alternative to the fastening or torque or transmission rods
mentioned as being preferred, it is also possible for other means,
such as, for example, the Bowden cables already mentioned, to be
used as the adjusting means.
Furthermore, the person of ordinary skill in the art can supplement
the invention by means of additional advantageous measures without
departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, as likewise
illustrated graphically a respective fine toothing F3, F4 can be
provided around the periphery of the fastening openings O3, O4 of
clamping element 3 and/or toothed element 4, into which fine
toothing a molded profile part 7 (FIG. 4) for receiving one end of
a transmission rod, which is used as an adjusting means in order to
bring the first fitting part 1 and the latching element 2 out of
engagement, can be pressed coaxially (X2 and/or X3 with X7). In
this case, the bushing-like molded profile part 7 can have, in its
fastening opening O7, a profiled inner contour K7 which can be
positioned during the pressing-in operation in such a manner that
the molded profile part 7 is arranged in a defined position with
respect to the second fitting part 6. This defined position may
exist, for example, by the distance of a marking point of the inner
contour K7 from one or more reference points of the second fitting
part 6, such as the penetration points of the axes X2, X3 of the
latching element 2 or the clamping element 3. The effect achieved
by this is that two devices according to the invention which are to
be fitted on both sides of a seat part can be synchronized at a
very early point, i.e. during the installation, and do not have to
be coordinated with each other in a higher stage of assembly. As a
result, different positions of the clamping element 2 that occur
due to tolerances are compensated for, and the transmission rod can
be fitted in a manner free from distortion. The molded profile part
7 may take up any desired position in an infinitely variable manner
irrespective of the division of the inner contour K7, for example
of a toothing of clamping element 3 and/or latching element 4.
* * * * *